By Chris Curtis, General Manager of ShopYourLikes

Top tips for creators to unlock and maximize July’s huge earning potential

July has emerged as a significant earning period for creators, becoming the largest month for earnings outside of Q4. Traditionally, July's retail highlights included 4th of July sales, back-to-school shopping, and a few key anniversary sales. However, the landscape has transformed radically thanks to the halo effect of Amazon Prime Day. This event has set off a chain reaction among major retailers like Walmart and Target, as well as dozens of category specific retailers, who run concurrent sales events. Driven by significant discounts and deals, this wave of promotions leads to a surge in consumer spending, including large ticket purchases. It’s a perfect commerce environment for creators to earn big.

Preparing for Success

Content Planning

• Plan In Advance: The summer has started, the kids are out of school, and July will arrive quickly! Creators should plan their content calendar well in advance, starting in June. As retailers announce their July sales dates, creators should add to or adjust their plans as necessary. ShopYourLikes has an up-to-date retailer sales list going here.
• Go Beyond the “Big Three”: Amazon, Walmart, and Target will have amazing sales, but creators shouldn’t forget about focused category leaders. It’s crucial to stay updated on timely discounts and flash sales from category-specific retailers and brands. These opportunities can also drive significant engagement and revenue.
• Increased Time Commitment: Creators should consider dedicating more time than usual in July to stay on top of trends, deals, and audience engagement. This period can be as intense as the holiday season, requiring constant attention to maximize earnings. Planning to set aside additional time will yield positive results.

Audience Engagement

• Build Anticipation: Creators should start early to build anticipation for July deals, using teasers and previews to excite audiences about upcoming promotions.
• Ask for Input: Creators should consider polling their audiences to see what retailers or categories excite them most for the rush of July sales. Inquiring about specific products or brands that followers are eager to purchase can also help with content planning.
• Educate on Ways to Shop Content: The better a consumer knows how to shop content, the higher the engagement and conversion. Creators should ensure their followers know how to best shop their content. Are stories the bread and butter, or are posts with “comment for link”? Are a storefront or collections the best place to shop? An audience that understands how and where to shop will generate bigger earnings.

Partners and Tools

• Monetization Partners: Creators should ensure they are working with monetization platforms that don’t just have strong retailer coverage and rates, but that can also help uncover all potential earning opportunities. Some platforms offer service, insights, and tools that can notably enhance a creator’s revenue potential.
• Productivity Tools: Whether it’s a “comment for link” service, a tool to build collages or collections faster, or other productivity tools, creators should strive to do their work faster and without sacrificing quality and authenticity. Most creators are “time poor” and should consider leveraging automation wherever possible.

Data Driven Strategies

• Leverage 2023 Data: Looking at last July’s data, a creator should look at what retailers, categories, and products resonated most with their audience. Also, see which days drove the highest earnings. Be on the lookout for repeat opportunities for this year.
• Wisdom of Community: Within their own sub-communities, creators might want to tap into the collective wisdom (and data) of their peers, inquiring about 2023 wins to help fuel their 2024 strategy. While individual creators may miss opportunities, the wisdom of crowds will most often get things right.
• Become a Data & Trend “Hawk”: As July arrives and the pace, sales, and earnings pick up, creators should create a regular schedule of checking their own performance data to inform their next set of content. Following the wider community to identify intraday trends and react quickly with content will fuel earnings as well.

We asked several creators from the ShopYourLikes community about what July earnings means to their business, and they answered the following:

July is the highest earning month for my business! The month of July is crucial for my business every year…I think the most exciting part are Amazon Prime Day sales and back to school shopping. All of the sales in July really have people shopping and looking for those big money-saving deals when it comes to home, lifestyle, and fashion finds. - linenoaksinterior

After a spring shopping lull, we are heading into epic sales like Amazon Prime Day, Walmart Week, and Target Circle Week that bring the best offers for us to share with our members! This is where our members get ready for back-to-school and start stashing away gifts for the holidays. July is the first big money maker month for many affiliates, and it’s a little taste of what’s to come during the big holiday months! - DealsForKids

Last July was huge for me with Amazon Prime Day and many other sales. I plan to make this year's earnings even bigger now that I know more and have more experience. My plan is to make July the highest-earning month. - adelaide_awhite

July is no doubt a goldmine for creators. With the proper planning, investment of time, and strategy, July paychecks can look a lot like November and December peak months. It’s game on for the summer earnings surge!